A Rose By Any Other Name
by OnTheWinterSolstice
Summary: Arthur and his father travel to the kingdom Avalon to attend Prince Merlin's coronation, where Arthur falls hard for the young prince. When they discover the kingdom's support for magic and Uther declares war, will the princes ever be together?
1. The Chapter Where Arthur Gets Pwned

**Hello everyone and thank you for taking the time to click on my story!**

**This was somewhat inspired by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and I hope you like it. :)**

**HUMUNGOUS thanks to MerthurForeverr.x for being my beta (and my new friend!) Definitely go check out some of her stories—she's brilliant!**

**Enjoy!**

**A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME**

"But _Father—"_

"No _buts, _Arthur, we are going and that is final."

Arthur huffed indignantly. "But no one attended _my _coronation when _I_ became Crowned Prince of _Camelot_."

"Arthur, I have not seen King Balinor in over 20 years. We must attend." King Uther explained. "Anyway, it is high time you met his son. You will both be King one day and will have to work together to keep peace."

Arthur sighed and ran a hand through his wheat-colored hair, a habit he often performed when he was stressed or upset. Uther took this as a sign of defeat and turned back to giving orders to his knights to prepare for the trek. As Arthur sulked away, Uther called, "Oh and Arthur! Be packed and ready by tonight. We leave at dawn."

When Arthur arrived back at his chambers he found Morgana perched on the edge of his bed. He wasn't surprised; she seemed to materialize out of thin air quite often.

"What is it, Morgana?" he sighed. He strode to his closet and tugged out an endless heap of clothes. He began to rifle through them impatiently as Morgana spoke. "I don't see why you're so cross. I hear Prince Merlin is quite the cutie." Her knowing tone caused Arthur's head to snap up. He glared at her twinkling eyes and went back to tossing chosen tunics into a separate pile.

"Then why don't you go in my place?"

"Oh stop being such a petulant child," she said. Kneeling on the floor she started folding Arthur's clothes. He briefly wondered how she could retain her royal authority while doing servant's work. "I know your tastes aren't—" Morgana faltered as Arthur sent her a glare that would make Satan shudder, "-aren't," she continued, "up to Uther's _standards. _But that doesn't mean you can't have a bit of fun."

Arthur sighed for the billionth time that day and spat out, "Morgana, that's hardly behavior for the Prince of Camelot."

Morgana feigned a pout and said, "Yeah, but why let the commoners have all the fun? Just go, and stop complaining."

She finished folding his clothes, and began stuffing them in a bag. After a minute she tied it shut and handed it to Arthur. Without a word she exited the room, the train of her dress billowing behind her.

Arthur tossed the bag next to the door and after removing his shirt, slipped beneath the covers. An hour or two of tossing and turning finally earned him a few hours of sleep.

O.o.O

"Welcome to Avalon!"

Arthur attempted to stifle a yawn as Uther and King Balinor shook hands warmly. They had traveled nonstop since dawn, and now the sun was dipping below the horizon, far past the snowcapped mountains and glittering lakes. Arthur followed his father and Balinor obediently through the castle as the knights unloaded the horses. The whole castle was constructed of some kind of sparkly white stone, and the hallways were lined with exquisite paintings of the landscape surrounding them.

"This stone," Uther commented, "is fantastic. What is it?"

Balinor smiled proudly. "White granite—we had to haul all of it from a cave a few miles north of here. But it was well worth it."

"Certainly," Uther agreed.

They reached the throne room. Two modest thrones lounged at the other side of the room in front of a grand fireplace. More paintings adorned the walls, except for one. The wall to Arthur's right was almost completely made of glass, showing a view of the land beyond and the disappearing sunset.

"Stunning," breathed Uther appreciatively. Balinor nodded in thanks. "Merlin is getting ready, but you can go and see him if you like, Arthur." Arthur nodded politely. "Aballach, please show Arthur to Merlin's chambers." One of the guards standing beside the door bowed, and left the room, Arthur following close behind.

After several long hallways, they finally ascended a winding staircase and came to a door. Laughter could be heard on the other side.

Aballach knocked.

"Come in!"

Aballach opened the door and allowed Arthur to enter, then went in himself.

Arthur was met with a startling image.

Merlin—he assumed the one wearing royal clothing was the prince—was sitting on the floor, _drawing, _and laughing with a servant. The _Prince! _And it wasn't like he was 5 years old, when it might scarcely pass as acceptable. No, he was 19- one year younger than Arthur.

Behind him Aballach sighed. "My lord, you should be preparing for your coronation." Merlin finally looked up through a fringe of black hair with large, innocent, sapphire eyes.

"Oh! We are! We're…Um…" he stammered to a halt and looked to the servant for assistance. All he received was a fit of giggles.

Aballach said, "Merlin, this is Arthur, Prince of Camelot."

Merlin's eyes rested on Arthur for a moment. The servant scrambled to his feet. "My lord," he said, bowing low. Arthur noticed the tint of sarcasm in his voice. Merlin looked pointedly at the bowing servant, and then stood up himself.

The door clicked behind him. Arthur turned, only to see Aballach had left. When he turned back Merlin had his pale hand out and a goofy grin on his face. "Hello, friend," he greeted.

Arthur didn't take the hand. "I've never met you before."

"Um…"

"So why did you call me friend?"

Merlin hesitated. "Just being nice, I guess."

"That was before he knew you were such an ass, though," the servant piped up, defending his prince. Merlin pursed his lips, trying his hardest not to smile.

Arthur looked at the servant. "You can't speak to me like that," he growled.

"Or what?" the servant retorted.

"Peace, Will," Merlin urged. He looked at Arthur. "Why are you here?"

"Your father sent me to meet you," Arthur explained.

The servant named Will said, "Well you've met him, so leave."

Arthur nearly smiled at how incompetent this servant was. It had to be a joke, right? "You can't address me like that." Arthur had never had someone stand up to him like that. It was _wrong._

"Will, go fetch my ceremonial clothes," Merlin ordered. "Please."

Will quickly left.

"Look, I don't know how they do things in Camelot, but this is Avalon, where we treat everybody with respect." Merlin hissed.

"Obviously not everyone does," said Arthur, nodding his head back toward the door. Merlin rolled his eyes. Just then, Will burst back into the room with a large armful of fine-looking clothing.

"Speak of the devil," Arthur muttered. Merlin glared at him with the ferocity of a hundred storms, and the blonde prince would have flinched if he was anyone else.

"I think you're excused," said Merlin coldly. Huffing, Arthur turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Once he was outside, he sighed, leaning against the wall. He was annoyed and frustrated, yes, but he had to admit it, impressed. He was surprised someone had the guts to stand up to him like that. The very thought almost excited him.

What was it about that man that made him so emotional?

**I apologize for the boringness of this chapter, but it'll get better! I pinky promise!**

**Please review!**


	2. The Chapter with the Guard

**Thanks to everybody for the lovely reviews of chapter one! They mean so much! Honestly! :D**

**Um, can I just say that this story has been up for 2 days and already over 200 people have read it? I mean holy crap! I only wish you'd all review. :(**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin, or the speech by Balinor here at the beginning. I stole that from episode 1x09 (Excalibur) :P**

**Enjoy!**

**O.o.O**

"Do you solemnly swear to govern the people in this kingdom and its dominions according to the statutes, customs, and the laws laid down by your forbearers?"

"I do, Sire."

"Do you promise to exercise mercy and justice in your deeds and judgments?"

"I do, Sire."

"And do you swear allegiance to Avalon now, and for as long as you shall live?"

"I, Merlin Emrys, pledge life and limb to your service and to the protection of the kingdom and its people."

"Now, being of age, and heir apparent, from henceforth, you shall be Crowned Prince of Avalon."

The nobles throughout the throne room clapped respectfully, including Arthur. From his position at the front of the crowd, he could see King Balinor placing the golden crown upon Merlin's raven-colored hair. He spun and faced the crowd, beaming happily. His gaze met Arthur's, and his smile slipped slightly.

"Go congratulate him, Arthur," Uther ordered, before turning to speak with a group of men.

Arthur scowled, but stalked over to the newly-crowned Prince anyway.

"I'd like to offer you my congratulations," he said monotonously, clasping his hands behind his back and standing as tall as possible.

Merlin's eyes softened slightly, and he allowed his lips to quirk upwards a fraction. "Thank you."

Will appeared beside Merlin, glowering at the blonde. "This bloke bothering you again, Merlin?"

Disapproval flashed through Merlin's eyes so fast that afterwards Arthur thought he imagined it.

"Will, please go get us some wine," he said, not taking his eyes off of Arthur. The servant shot Merlin a look of annoyance and disbelief, before walking away.

"I'm sorry," Merlin said. His voice was much warmer than it had been earlier that night. "He doesn't trust royalty easily."

"He trusts you."

"We've been friends our whole lives," he explained. Arthur mentally scoffed. Friends with a servant? Before he could retort, Will returned with two goblets. He handed one to Merlin, but instead of giving the other to Arthur, he kept it in his hand. Arthur glared. He really did not like this guy.

Merlin followed his line of sight. He elbowed Will, almost spilling his wine in the process.

"Will!" he hissed, "Please don't be rude. He did nothing wrong."

Arthur blinked. Merlin was…standing up for him? Warmth pooled in his stomach, and he smiled slightly.

Will scowled at him. It seemed as though a silent conversation took place exchanged by glares and frowns. Finally, Will sighed and thrust the cup at Arthur, spilling a few drops on his tunic.

He smiled sweetly. "Oops! Sorry."

Arthur growled, and shoved his goblet at Merlin who took it hesitantly. As soon as it was out of his hands, he threw himself at Will, sending them both sprawling across the cold stone floor. He thought he heard Merlin shout, and suddenly he was being hauled to his feet. He decided not to fight it, and soon found himself being held in place by two guards. He looked over at Will. Merlin had both his arms around the servant's waist. Arthur smirked with satisfaction when he saw Will's nose gushing blood.

"What is going on?" Uther boomed. Nobody dared speak.

The silence was broken by a tremendous crash. For a split second Arthur thought the Earth itself had cracked in half. Suddenly the massive window exploded spontaneously, and everyone dropped to the floor with hands over their heads. As the last shards of glass twinkled down, Arthur raised his head. The first thing he saw was Merlin's messy mop of hair. As if sensing Arthur's eyes, he also lifted his head. Their gazes met. Merlin's eyes were full of alarm, with a hint of curiosity. Arthur assumed his were the same. Suddenly the other prince's eyes went wide with fear.

Shouting his name, he got to his knees and dove at Arthur, propelling him back several feet. A massive piece of granite struck the ground where he had just been kneeling. He looked to the man lying beside him, his mouth agape in awe. This scrawny, goofy-looking prince had just rescued him from being squashed like a cockroach. Merlin risked his own life to save Arthur's. Maybe he wasn't as bad as Arthur thought. He just showed the courage of a lion, and he felt deeply honored. A blush crept across his cheeks as he realized Merlin still had his arm flung across his chest.

"You saved my life," he said stupidly.

Merlin glanced at him and grinned. "Yeah, don't know why I did that."

Arthur was speechless as Merlin finally removed his arm and crawled around the rock that fell from the ceiling to where Will still lay.

Arthur sat up as he heard a loud gasp and a few screams. Sitting in the king's throne was a woman- a _beautiful_ woman with scarlet lips and azure eyes that radiated power. Brown locks swayed gently as she stood and made her way slowly toward…Merlin?

By now the raven-haired prince had noticed the woman. He stood up and hissed a single word with so much venom it frightened Arthur. "_Nimueh."_

The woman named Nimueh smiled. Arthur wasn't sure if he should be intrigued or repulsed.

As she approached the raven-haired man, she reached a hand out for him.

Arthur got to his feet and placed himself next to Merlin. "What do you want?" he asked with all the authority he could muster. If Nimueh was surprised, she didn't show it.

"The great Arthur Pendragon. I knew our paths would meet someday." Arthur was positive now that he should be repulsed. Her sneer—how could he ever think that was a smile?—radiated absolute evil.

"Nimueh, you know you can't." Balinor spoke. "It is against the Old Religion."

"I am the High Priestess—so I can do as I please." With that confident statement, she raised her hand again and flexed her fingers toward Merlin. Words escaped her mouth in a furious torrent. Her voice reminded Arthur of a spitting cat or a flock of screeching crows.

"Sorcery," he heard his father whisper viciously.

Reacting instinctively, Arthur threw himself in front of Merlin as a crackling white light released from her fingertips and enveloped him. He was bowled over back onto the ground with a painful thud. Black spots swam in front of his eyes. After a few seconds of blinking to clear his vision, he saw familiar blue eyes looking at him with concern.

"Merlin?" he murmured. The other prince smiled slightly and gingerly stroked some stray hair from Arthur's eyes. When he pulled his hand back he glanced at it and paled, his eyes widening. Even with somewhat blurry eyes, Arthur saw red staining Merlin's creamy skin.

He sat up with Merlin's help, and was shocked—and terrified—to find most of the nobles in the room casting spells at Nimueh, who defended herself all too easily. She only had eyes for Merlin.

"B-But magic is…_evil." _He whispered. Merlin looked at him with sad eyes. "Then I'm sorry you have to see this."

Arthur opened his mouth but Merlin was already striding toward Nimueh.

He raised a hand, eyes blazing, and shouted words that sounded similar to Nimueh's, yet completely different. His voice sounded like wind rustling through trees in autumn, or flames crackling in a hearth.

Arthur quickly turned away as a blinding green light emitted from Merlin's hand. When he looked back again, Nimueh lay in a heap on the floor. A few more words from Merlin's mouth, and she exploded into dust, scattering all over the pure white floor.

Silence once again descended upon the hall.

Arthur glanced at Merlin. His face was full of regret and worry.

Uther was furious, shaking with anger. "You're all _sorcerers." _He spat the word out like he was referring to the dirt on his boots.

Balinor replied calmly, "Please, Uther. We have no quarrel with magic. We have simply accepted it into our kingdom, and flourished because of it."

But Arthur knew his father would not listen. "You have betrayed my trust," he said angrily.

Merlin cut in. "Just because you fear magic—"

"I do not fear magic!" Uther shouted.

"Father, please," soothed Arthur. He didn't quite know why, but he had the strongest urge to protect Merlin from harm—verbal or otherwise.

"No, Arthur. We are leaving."

"Father!"

"My word is final!" His father's voice was adamant, his tone bearing no tolerance for argument.

The knights who accompanied Arthur and Uther from Camelot hurriedly followed the King from the throne room like obedient puppies. Arthur hesitated. "I'm sorry," he said. "We did not wish to spoil your evening."

Merlin smiled slightly. "It's alright. It wasn't your fault."

Suddenly Uther's voice boomed, "ARTHUR!"

He cringed and smiled sheepishly at the crowd, before turning and making his way outside to the courtyard. His horse stood ready to go, and Uther had already mounted his.

As soon as Arthur was sitting on the saddle, Uther took off, with the band of knights following closely.

His father was being completely unreasonable, Arthur mused. Balinor had always been kind to the kingdom of Camelot, and suddenly Uther was ready to go to war! Arthur was raised to believe magic to be evil, but seeing Merlin defeat that wicked sorceress spurred something new in him. What if magic itself wasn't evil, just some of the people who used it? After all, he couldn't believe evil was in that boy's heart. So, what if it was used with good intentions? He had so many questions, and only one person could answer them truthfully.

Suddenly Arthur knew what to do.

Once they passed the gates, he let himself draw back a bit. Near the end of the group he faced his most trusted knight Sir Leon.

"Leon," he hissed.

"Yes, Sire?"

"Cover for me. I'm going back to the castle."

"But Sire—"

"No, I have to do this." Arthur sighed. "It just feels right."

Sir Leon pursed his lips, but he knew better than to argue with the prince. As soon as he nodded his head, Arthur whirled his horse around and galloped back to the entry gates. He deposited his horse and tied him to a nearby tree, hidden from the eyes of roaming guards. As he approached the gates on foot, a single guard approached him.

"What do you want?" he asked gruffly.

Arthur bristled. "I am Prince Arthur of Camelot—"

Before he could finish the guard's eyes nearly bugged out of his head and he began stuttering, "Oh! My Lord! Please forgive me. I could not see your face in the darkness." Arthur held up a hand to silence him. Without another word, he strode past the nervous guard and into the courtyard.

Now, where is Merlin's room?

**Somewhat of a cliffhanger. Sorry. But it's a long chapter! And I'll update soon :)**

**Review! They make me so terribly happy. :)**


	3. The Chapter with Birds

**Sorry, I'm actually cutting a huge chunk of the story out (don't worry, it's in the future, it hasn't already been posted) but I needed to change a few lines in here. So this isn't a new update. I only changed one or two sentences, but they pretty much changed the whole future plot. So I suggest reading it again.**

**(Or, if you're like me and you're too lazy, you just need to reread the end of the 'balcony scene' between Merlin and Arthur when they decide to meet again. Yep.)**

**Enjoy!**

The newly-crowned prince sighed. After the Pendragons hastily left the coronation, the other nobles also returned to their homes. Balinor sent Merlin to his room with a single goodnight.

"I don't know why you were being so nice," said Will. His voice sounded nasally, due to the cloth he was holding to his nose.

Merlin sighed forlornly. He grabbed another rag and dipped it in the chilly bowl of water that sat on his bedside table. After wringing it out, he sat on the edge of his bed and dabbed at Will's growing black eye.

"Why shouldn't I have been nice?" he asked.

Will glowered up at him. "He was so rude when he first met you!"

"Well we didn't exactly give him a reason not to be," Merlin said reasonably. "We were just as rude to him as he was to us."

Will huffed indignantly.

Merlin gazed down at him. "Why are you being like this?"

"You know why," he snapped.

Merlin sighed again. "Will, don't bring what happened to your father into this."

Will kept his lips firmly closed.

A sudden shadow drew Merlin's attention to the large glass doors across from him that led onto a small balcony. He observed it for a few seconds, and nearly jumped out of his skin when a large arm appeared. Another second passed, and a head popped up.

_Arthur?_

Their gazes met.

"Will, why don't you go to Gaius and get some poultice for your head?" he quickly offered.

Grumbling, Will complied and, with Merlin's help, sat up from the bed and stumbled out of the room.

As soon as he left, Merlin sprinted over to the doors and threw them open.

"Arthur!" he exclaimed, as the blonde prince hauled himself over the railing and landed with a thump on the white granite balcony. Merlin quickly stooped to grasp his arms and pull him to his feet. "What are you doing here? If the guards see you—"

"Oh, I could beat a hundred of your guards!"

Merlin stared at him blankly for a moment, before peering over the railing onto the wall below. The tower he resided in had a thick blanket of deep green ivy wound around it, but he was still at least thirty feet up.

"How did you…?" He never finished his sentence, because Arthur was gazing at him with the most heart-wrenching look in his eyes Merlin had ever seen. "What's wrong?" he asked instead.

"You're a sorcerer." Despite his distressed eyes, his voice was smoldering, and it shocked Merlin to the core.

He shifted uncertainly. "Uh…I suppose I am."

Fury boiled in Arthur's veins. Now that the adrenaline of seeing the other man had worn off, he was completely focused on the matter at hand; that Merlin was a _sorcerer_, and a powerful one it seemed. In fact, he was certain that almost everyone here had magic. Arthur trusted his father's judgment more than anyone's. But then again, if Balinor had intended to kill the Pendragons, he probably would have done so already.

_Gods, this is so frustrating!_

Without warning Arthur turned and pounded his fist on the stone railing. Balinor had often told Merlin how Uther Pendragon was against magic and he understood Arthur needed to let out his frustration. Now he had to choose between this father and Merlin. It saddened him, though. Back at the coronation he believed Arthur understood. But now…

So Merlin leaned quietly against the cold stone wall and chewed at his thumbnail, waiting for Arthur to make up his mind. After a few minutes Merlin grew worried. The blonde prince stood as still as a statue, save for his mouth which whispered heated curses. His eyes, dark and brooding, stared into nothingness.

Merlin closed his eyes and let the wind ripple across his skin, teasing the sensitive nerves. The cold air sent gooseflesh across his skin and he shivered.

He didn't know how much time passed, but suddenly there was silence. He opened his eyes to see Arthur's mouth still. Slowly approaching the prince, he kept his senses poised, ready to spring inside if the matter got out of hand.

Merlin walked closer. Arthur continued to be a statue, his head bowed low.

"Arthur?" he asked softly. The blonde didn't answer.

Merlin treaded carefully. The situation was unsteady and he did not know Arthur well enough to know if he would lash out or not.

He stood beside the other prince now. They remained silent.

Finally, Arthur slid his fingers through his hair and stated in a low voice, "Magic corrupts the mind."

Merlin's eyes widened and he hurriedly tried to explain, "No—"

"I was beginning to like you, Merlin," Arthur said ruefully. "But how do I know you didn't enchant me?"

Merlin gaped at him. "Really? Arthur, we're good people! Not all sorcerers have the same intentions."

Arthur stared hard at him, before speaking in a careful tone, "I want you to promise me that what you say is true. You would never harm my kingdom, or my people."

"I promise."

Arthur took a deep breath and, satisfied with Merlin's answer, smiled at the slighter man. "Then I want you to tell me everything you can. I want to know all there is about sorcery."

Merlin hesitantly moved forward and grasped Arthur's forearm. "You promise you won't kill me?"

Arthur gazed into those sparkling sapphire eyes. "Of course not," he breathed.

Merlin grinned. "Then let me explain as much as I can."

All of a sudden a knock sounded on the door inside. "Merlin?" Will called.

Merlin told Arthur to stay there, and hurried through the doorway just as the door opened.

"Will! Got that poultice from Gaius already?" he greeted cheerily.

He received a strange look, which quickly transferred to the glass doors. "Merlin, why are the doors open?"

"Thought I'd get some fresh air in here." The lie rolled easily off his tongue.

Will sat on the edge of the bed, his back to the doors.

"Merlin!" Arthur hissed.

"Did you hear something?" Will asked curiously, looking around the room.

Merlin's eyes went wide. "Uh, no. Maybe it was the wind."

Will shrugged and began complaining about Arthur and how he would have beaten him to a pulp, convinced Merlin to throw him in the stocks, then personally pelted him with potatoes if he hadn't been pulled away.

During this rant, Merlin stuck his head out into the cold air. "You have to go, Arthur!" he hissed.

"Merlin?" The raven-haired prince spun and faced Will, whose torso was turned toward him. "What the bloody hell are you doing?"

Merlin froze. "Um…I'm shooing away some birds." That earned him a flick on the back of his head from Arthur.

"Just hurry up and close the doors," Will groaned.

Merlin nodded. Sticking his head back outside, he came face-to-face with Arthur.

"We need to meet again," the fair-haired man said in a low voice.

Merlin thought for a moment. "Tomorrow," he whispered. "Meet me in the woods at the front entrance of the castle."

Arthur smiled.

"Merlin?" Will said.

"I have to go now," Merlin breathed. "Tomorrow?"

Arthur felt ecstatic at the very thought of seeing Merlin again. "Tomorrow," he agreed.

"Merlin!"

The prince jumped and slammed the doors shut.

"Were you talking to the birds?" Will asked once Merlin returned to his bed.

Merlin smiled. "The damned birds just wouldn't leave."

O.o.O

The next morning, Arthur arrived back at Camelot. He earned a stern lecture from his father—that completely went over his head since all he could think about was Merlin—and congratulations from Morgana for finally disobeying Uther.

He was napping in his room when a knock sounded on his door. "Sire, the King requests your presence in the throne room immediately!"

Arthur was on his feet in less than a second.

Once he arrived, he found a grim looking Uther and furious Morgana.

"Arthur, we are at war with the kingdom of Avalon." The king said.

Arthur managed to keep the shock off his face. "Why is that?"

"King Balinor betrayed my trust, and for that he must pay."

Arthur felt his cover slip slightly. That was the stupidest reason he ever heard!

"It's completely useless," Morgana said in her most commanding voice. "You're fighting _sorcerers. _They could make anything happen with a snap of their fingers. Like an idle king."

Obviously Uther had informed her of the magic in the other kingdom.

Uther rounded angrily on her. "You will be silent!"

"Father, please, she has a point," Arthur said before Morgana's haughtiness cost her a night in the dungeons—again. "I believe our men have better use elsewhere. This battle will be over before it's even begun."

But Uther would hear none of it. "I have already sent knights to attack their forces. I want you to ride there today, to lead our second attack."

"I refuse."

Uther glared at him. "Guards, take him to his chambers."

Arthur scoffed. "You can't treat me like a child!"

"Then you will listen to your father and your king!"

Before Arthur could retort, he felt hands grab his upper arms and he allowed himself to be led to his chambers.

How would he meet Merlin now?

**So since this isn't a new update really, you don't necessarily have to review if you already have. But if you're one of the many hundreds of people who HAVEN'T reviewed, you should :)**

**And in case you didn't notice, the change was Merlin deciding they should meet in the woods outside the castle, not the Fields of Isis. **

**KK? Got it? Good.**


	4. The Chapter with a Sweaty Rat

**Yes indeed, this chapter is incredibly long :) And all chapters in the future will continue to be longer because I don't want my story to end up having like 30 or 40 chapters hahaha.**

**Anyway…**

**Enjoy!**

Securing the last knot, he yanked harshly on his make-shift rope and, confident it would hold his weight, slid onto the window ledge.

"Arthur!"

He started (even though he would deny it later) when a shrill voice entered his ears. Morgana stood in the open doorway, but she hastily shut it and came over.

"What are you doing?"

She scanned the situation, looking skeptically at the rope made of bed sheets.

Arthur sighed. He could never lie to Morgana. "Merlin was the prince whose coronation I attended. I promised I would meet him tonight."

Immediately Morgana's face lit up. "Oh, how romantic. Star-crossed lovers, destined to be together, denying the word of their fathers just to see each other!"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "We are not _star-crossed lovers_. I'm only meeting him to ask him questions about his powers."

Morgana turned serious again. It sometimes scared Arthur how quickly women could do that. "That sounds awfully close to treason, Arthur."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I have to, Morgana. I can't fight it."

She gazed at him a moment. Moving closer, she took his hand and squeezed it in hers. "I'll cover for you. I can see this boy means a lot to you. Go."

Arthur was about to protest that Merlin did _not_ mean a lot to him, but a glare from Morgana kept his mouth buttoned.

"_Go."_

O.o.O

The sun edged over the horizon leisurely as the prince crossed the border into Avalon. He slowed his horse Vires to a trot and proceeded cautiously, keeping his eyes and ears peeled. He didn't want to be caught now only to be sent back to his father before he could meet Merlin_._

Early sunlight bathed the earth in a golden glow. Arthur yawned. He hadn't had a decent night's sleep since before Merlin's coronation, and fatigue was beginning to eat away at his senses. He could see the gleaming white castle not far into the distance, and he spurred Vires onward once again.

Closer and closer, he went. Arthur only had eyes for the castle as it grew larger and larger.

_Almost there, _he thought. He rubbed his eyes. He tried to shake the sleepiness from his head, but it refused to leave him alone. He was less than a hundred feet away when he collapsed.

O.o.O

Something cold and damp pressed itself against his forehead. In his tired state, Arthur's frazzled brain concluded it was a sweaty rat sleeping on his head. He attempted to raise his arm but was too weak. Then he realized he was being spoken to.

"—_not sure if you can hear me, but I hope you can." _There was a pause and a short chuckle. "_I waited in the woods for over four hours. Finally border patrol found you, though. Completely out of it, lying on the ground. You must have one faithful horse though, because he was standing right next to you." _

The wet rat crawled off his head. He exhaled quietly in relief, only to feel it on his forehead yet again, even soggier than before.

"_Will wanted to throw you back out into the woods to get eaten by wild animals," _the voice continued. "_I don't know what his problem is with you. He's usually a pretty nice person." _Another pause. _"But of course I couldn't allow you to freeze to death out there, so I asked if you could stay in here. Will was furious. Now he's trying to convince the royal court you're going to murder me." _There was laughter.

"I'd never harm you," Arthur managed to mumble, refusing to open his eyes. The sweaty rat removed itself from Arthur's forehead, only to be replaced by a…hand?

He finally cracked his eyelids open. He saw a dazzling blue sky above him. The sky shifted and transformed into two orbs. They continued to pull back until Arthur's vision was clear. It wasn't the sky at all, but two mesmerizing, sapphire eyes. He focused on the entire face of his savior.

"Merlin?" he croaked. Slowly, his brain began to make connections. The hand currently on his forehead was Merlin's, and the sweaty rat he thought he felt earlier was a damp cloth Merlin held in his other hand. His belt that held his sword and various daggers was strewn on the back of the chair Merlin currently occupied.

Merlin smiled softly. "Well, good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty."

Arthur tried to roll his eyes, but the action sent a bolt of pain through his head and he groaned, screwing his eyes shut.

Merlin's hand moved from his forehead to his hair as he stroked it comfortingly. "What's wrong?"

Arthur opened his eyes again to grin at Merlin suggestively.

The other prince's eyes widened and he immediately drew his hand back. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Arthur's grin softened into a sincere smile and he grasped Merlin's hand, holding it against his chest. Merlin blushed and smiled delicately. Arthur's chest tightened at that blush. Keeping grasp of Merlin's hand, he gently pulled him closer. Merlin didn't resist.

The door banged open and Merlin jerked away so fast he ended up tipping backwards in the chair he was sitting in. Arthur was on his feet in less than a second. Immediately he regretted it as the world spun around him. Through the black spots dancing in his vision he saw Merlin's manservant helping the prince to his feet. Merlin looked at Arthur, who was swaying dramatically. He grabbed the fair-haired prince beneath the arms just as he crumpled to the floor. He ordered Will to help him get Arthur back on the bed. He did so—reluctantly—then faced Merlin.

"What the bloody hell was that?" he exclaimed.

Merlin stepped back, slightly afraid. "What?"

Will glared at him. "You know bloody what!"

Merlin shook his head innocently, looking more like a frightened deer every second.

Will threw up his arms and spun around in frustration. "I just don't understand why you like him."

Merlin took a step forward. "I gave him a chance," he said defiantly.

He actually heard Will growl as he advanced upon the unfortunate prince.

"Will? What are you doing?" he asked nervously. His back hit the wall. He despairingly came to the conclusion that he had nowhere to run. Will inched closer and closer.

All of a sudden Arthur groaned, and both heads snapped to the prince lying in the bed. Pale eyelashes fluttered upward to reveal dazed cerulean orbs. Merlin saw Will grin wickedly.

Will reached for the ceramic bowl of water on the small table beside the bed that Merlin used earlier to soak the cloth in. He raised it high above his head—ignoring the water that sloshed onto the floor-and brought it down toward Arthur.

Merlin's eyes flashed gold and time slowed. A few whispered words and Will flew through the air. Merlin cringed at the tremendous thud Will's head made as he smacked into the opposite wall. He rushed to Arthur and helped him sit up. Once he was steady he looked at Will's crumpled form. "You saved me," he said softly.

When he didn't receive a response, he looked to the young man sitting beside him. His usually kind and gentle eyes were locked on Will, bursting with shock and horror.

"I hurt my best friend." Merlin's voice was barely above a whisper.

Arthur pursed his lips and placed a comforting hand on Merlin's shoulder. A moan escaped Will's lips, and Merlin was next to him faster than Arthur could speak. Jealousy twanged his heart as Merlin grabbed Will around the waist and pulled him into a sitting position, resting his back on the wall behind him.

"What happened?" he asked, clutching at his head. "Oh, the room is spinning." He shut his eyes.

Merlin glanced at Arthur questioningly. "You mean you don't remember?" he asked, keeping his eyes on Arthur.

Will let his hands fall from his temple and he stared at the floor in confusion. His gaze drifted around the room and fell on Arthur. "You," he spat. "What are you doing here?"

Merlin and Arthur shared a look. The fair-haired prince scratched his head. "I…came here to apologize for my behavior towards you." He said slowly.

The servant raised an eyebrow. Arthur ignored Merlin's smirk. "But…you tripped and hit your head."

With Merlin's help, Will stood and walked closer to Arthur. "Well come on, then."

"What?"

"Aren't you going to apologize?" He was smirking openly.

_Bastard, _thought Arthur. But if he wanted Will out of the room, he supposed this was the only way to do it.

"I apologize for any verbal harm I may have caused you," he forced through clenched teeth. His gaze flicked to Will's black eye. "Or physical." Apologizing to the scum was worse than going over official documents all night with his father, but he still gained some satisfaction from the bruise on his face.

"It's alright," Will said, smiling. He stepped forward, his expression morphing into one of pure hate. "But next time, don't try to kiss Merlin." With that, he punched Arthur in the jaw and stalked from the room.

Arthur stumbled back, surprised at how much force was packed behind the blow. He checked all his teeth with his tongue, and, luckily, none were broken.

"I think he actually remembered," Merlin said quietly.

Arthur scowled fiercely at him.

Merlin looked at him peculiarly. "Your lip is bleeding." He moved forward to grasp the damp cloth that had been deposited onto the floor in the commotion. He stepped close to Arthur and dabbed at his lip gently. When the blood was gone he brought his hand down but did not move away. Arthur couldn't tear his gaze away from Merlin's sapphire orbs. The world dissolved and he felt nothing else mattered; not the war, not sorcery, and definitely not his father. He didn't care that Merlin was a sorcerer; he still had the gentlest heart in the whole world. A feeling overtook his chest that was too small and too tight to contain the overwhelming emotions inside of him. His heart beat much too fast, his cheeks grew warm and he had never _ever _felt like this before. He tried to swallow but the lump in his throat prevented him from doing so. The man before him was handsome and down-to-earth and kind and sweet. He had saved his life twice and even hurt his best friend in order to protect him. That thought alone humbled him. He was used to people bowing before him and kissing his feet and doing whatever he asked. But Merlin was also a prince—an equal—so everything he did for Arthur was purely out of the kindness of his heart. It warmed Arthur to the core.

When he realized the lump in his throat hadn't gone and he still couldn't talk he found himself leaning forward. Some tiny place in his brain was telling him not to do it, because he didn't know if Merlin loved him back yet or not. But the rest of his brain kept reminding him of Merlin's kind heart and how he had kept him from harm. And he wanted—_needed—_him like no one else he had ever met. Inch by inch, his face grew closer to Merlin's.

Suddenly he froze. He had come to see Merlin, but there were more important matters at hand.

Reluctantly, he reeled his lips back in. "My father has declared war," he blurted.

Shock and pain flashed across Merlin's face, and Arthur wanted nothing more than to embrace him and kiss all his worries away.

Before Arthur could even register what he just thought, a single, salty tear rolled down Merlin's cheek. He moved to wipe it away when Merlin croaked, "Why?"

Arthur shrugged. "Because you use magic."

Merlin's frown deepened. Arthur sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "But I came back, see?"

Merlin's frown melted away into a soft smile. "Yeah. You did." He paused. "Even if you did faint like a girl."

Arthur protested, "I am _not _a girl," while smacking Merlin on the head playfully.

Merlin beamed and Arthur once again found himself enraptured by his beauty.

"Gods, Merlin," he exclaimed. He yanked himself away from the raven-haired man and stalked across the room to the glass doors that led onto the balcony. He let himself out and gripped the stone railing in frustration, his knuckles turning white. His gaze drifted over the setting sun on the horizon. He had _never _been this emotional before, and he certainly wasn't used to it. It ate him up inside, and for some odd reason he felt the strongest urge to shoot a deer.

A moment later Merlin appeared beside him. "What did I do?" His voice sounded hurt, and it stung Arthur to hear him like that. He glanced at the slightly shorter man. For a prince, Merlin wasn't very good at hiding his emotions, and Arthur could clearly see the pain written all over his face.

He took a deep breath. "Merlin, I honestly have no idea how to say this."

Merlin put a hand on his arm. "Just say it." Arthur knew Merlin was just trying to comfort him, but the hand on his arm was making him even _more _nervous. He breathed deeply through his nose to calm his racing heart.

"Merlin, I…I have…strong feelings and I can't get rid of them."

Merlin stared at him in confusion. "I don't quite follow—"

"You, Merlin, I have feelings for you!" He exclaimed. The hand on his arm disappeared and footsteps moved away from him. He sighed angrily and pounded the stone railing with his fist. He glared at the grass below him, like the vegetation was the reason he felt so angry, so _humiliated. _The last slivers of sunlight slipped behind the mountains, and the air felt instantly cooler. Arthur shivered and turned to reenter Merlin's chambers.

He stopped short at the sight of King Balinor. He remained outside respectfully while he and his son spoke to each other in hushed tones.

A minute later Balinor left with a nod of his head to Arthur.

"Father wants me to leave," Merlin croaked sadly. "Border patrol said an army from Camelot has crossed into our land." He swallowed loudly, his head bowed. "He says if they reach our walls he wants me far away so I don't get hurt."

Arthur could not believe his father was so intent on war. If only he would listen, like Arthur had, maybe so much blood would not be shed. And it was not the people of Avalon he feared for but his own men. He had the finest knights in the realm but shield and armor could not protect one from magic.

"Arthur, this will never end. Uther will never see sense. Avalon will fall, and I will never be king." Hearing Merlin so desolate, so pained, made Arthur want to gather the other man in his arms and hold him until everything was better. But he knew that could never happen.

"Tell your father I'll take you," Arthur said. He blinked. He hadn't meant to say that. If he did help Merlin he would be committing treason. But now that the words were out of his mouth it felt so _right. _Him, protecting Merlin from the evils of the world.

Merlin sniffed. "You will?"

Arthur nodded and Merlin's face broke into a smile brighter than the sun.

**I will warn you now, this story will be super long.**

**Review?**


	5. The Chapter with the Doctor Who Quote

**Here you go! Another installment of A Rose By Any Other Name! **

**Thanks to MerthurForeverr.x for being my beta!**

**P.S. There's a quote from Doctor Who in here (a David Tennant episode, not a Matt Smith one). Lemme know if you spot it! :)**

**Enjoy!**

"Father?"

King Balinor's head tilted up from the table he was leaning across to smile warmly at his son. He ignored the many maps strewn across the wood to approach the princes.

"Merlin, my boy. Have you made your decision?"

Arthur stepped forward and answered for the brunette. "Yes. I offer my services to escort your son far from here where he will not be harmed by…" he paused. He almost called the knights _his _men, but he couldn't believe that anymore. "…by Uther's men."

Balinor studied him carefully. Arthur knew he had a slim chance of escorting Merlin—seeing he was the son of the man who was attacking Avalon—but he had to try. He didn't trust the young warlock with anyone else.

With a slow, thoughtful nod, Balinor granted him permission. "Sleep well tonight, and leave at dawn. I believe Uther's armies will not strike until nightfall tomorrow, so that will give you time to get as far from here as you can." Arthur nodded and Merlin nearly leapt with glee.

"Now go pack," Balinor ordered with an approving smile.

Merlin forced his lanky legs into a run and he exited the room. Arthur shook his head fondly.

"Arthur," Balinor said gravely. "Take care of him."

Arthur looked him in the eye and said in a low voice, "I promise to protect him with my life."

Balinor clapped a hand on Arthur's shoulder before returning to the table.

O.o.O

When Arthur returned to Merlin's private chambers he saw Merlin sitting cross-legged on his bed, biting his thumbnail absent-mindedly. The previous childish glee had vanished completely.

"Merlin?" he asked softly, shutting the door behind him. He joined the other prince on the bed. This close, he could see Merlin's pale cheeks glistening with salty tears. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "Merlin?" he asked again.

Sapphire eyes met sky blue ones. "I'm scared, Arthur," he whispered. "I don't…" he looked down at his lap and swallowed.

Arthur was never good at comforting people. One time when Morgana's favorite horse died he bought her a gorgeous jewel-encrusted saddle to put on her new horse. It never occurred to him that she didn't _want _a _new_ horse, she wanted her _old_ one. And Arthur, being the insensitive young boy he was at the time, asked if it really mattered what horse it was as long as it got you to your destination.

Morgana hadn't come out of her room for three days after that.

Arthur was spurred back to the present when a weight fell upon on his shoulder. He bent his head to see Merlin resting his head in the crook of his neck. Heat spread throughout his body as his stomach spontaneously decided to hatch a hundred butterflies.

"Merlin, you're going to stain my tunic with your tears." Right. Not good with sad people. The dark haired man immediately tugged away and half-glared at him, his eyes full of hurt. Arthur immediately reached out and pulled Merlin to his chest. "I'm sorry," he whispered, rubbing Merlin's back. "I'm not good with…people." To his relief the man in his arms chuckled lightly.

"Really?" he muttered sarcastically.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Oh shut up." He hit Merlin's head lightly and pushed him back, keeping a firm hold of his shoulders. "You OK now?"

Merlin smiled a sad little smile that had Arthur's heart stabbing itself with a dagger and nodded.

Merlin stood and walked over to his wardrobe on the far side of the room. "How long do you think we'll be gone?" he asked softly, dimly inspecting a blue shirt in his hand.

Arthur did not know the answer. Uther was relentless. He would not give up until all magic was gone. Even if it was not in his own kingdom. Arthur clenched his teeth. Suddenly he noticed Merlin was speaking to him.

"—blue? Or maybe black? Will it really matter?"

Arthur had no idea what Merlin was talking about. When he didn't receive an answer Merlin turned to look at him curiously, several tunics in his hands.

Luckily Arthur quickly came to the conclusion that Merlin was asking him what color tunics to bring. He walked over to the wardrobe and tugged out every single red shirt he could find. Red was _his _color, and it would fill him with pride to see Merlin wearing red. Then he looked at a blue shirt in Merlin's hand and noticed how much the color brought out his eyes.

When Merlin realized he wasn't getting an opinion he said, "Both," and threw a handful of blue tunics on the bed to join the red ones. He then proceeded to dig out multiple black pants and toss them along with the tunics.

Suddenly Will entered the room. "Oh, you're still here, are you?" he snarled at Arthur.

Arthur clenched his teeth and ground out a sharp, "Yes." He looked to Merlin who sat silently on his bed, folding the chosen clothes.

Crossing his arms, he turned back to the servant. "Shouldn't you be doing that? It is your _job," _Arthur sneered.

Will glared at him and Merlin's head snapped up. "No, no, it's fine Will. But could you please go to the kitchens and pack two bags of food? They'll need to last a while so no cheese."

"Why? Are you going somewhere?"

Merlin couldn't stop his gaze from flicking to Arthur. Will caught this. "You're going somewhere with _him?_" Merlin brought his thumb up to his mouth to chew at it silently. Arthur would have laughed at Will's agape mouth and made some comment about flies nesting in it if the situation weren't so serious. Also, he knew this was between them alone. He didn't need to add to the tension.

When neither princes said anything Will threw up his hands. Examining the awkward-looking Merlin, he exhaled and rested his arms by his sides once again. He bowed mockingly to Arthur and left with a single, "My Lord." The endearment did not hold the warmth such a phrase should when addressing a future king.

With Will gone, Merlin resumed folding his clothes. Once he finished he walked to the glass doors and pulled a satchel off a hook nearby. When he turned back around his eyes met Arthur's and he stopped abruptly.

"What?" Arthur asked.

Merlin didn't answer at first. He remained rooted to the spot, a thoughtful frown adorning his face. Just as Arthur began to grow worried about Merlin's well-being, he spoke. "We'll need to find you some clothes."

Arthur moved to the bed and held up a red tunic. "Gods you're skinny, this wouldn't fit a rat." He commented disdainfully.

Merlin rolled his eyes and snatched the tunic from his hands. Then he grasped Arthur's shoulders and twisted him slightly, studying his body. Arthur fought the urge to squirm under the scrutinizing gaze. Without warning Merlin released him and muttered a quick, "Follow me."

Merlin led Arthur down the winding stairs and endless hallways to another wing of the castle. There was only one door here. Merlin walked straight in without knocking but immediately halted in his tracks. Arthur peered over his shoulder to see the king sitting on a large bed, much more modest than a king's bed ought to be.

"Father, I didn't expect you to be here, I—"

Balinor calmly held up a hand and Merlin's mouth snapped shut. "I suppose you're here for clothes for Prince Arthur?" he asked, grinning knowingly. Merlin nodded and the king beckoned them to a large wardrobe.

After an hour or so of Arthur having various clothing items forced upon him, they finally came up with a satisfying enough pile of reds and browns and blacks. Balinor also allowed Arthur to use his hunting satchel.

"I won't have much use for it in the future," he said quietly as he handed it over. Arthur felt Merlin tense beside him. "Father, you don't mean to say—"

"Dawn will be upon us soon," Balinor interrupted. "Go and get some sleep while you can."

Arthur had to tug Merlin by the wrist to get him away from Balinor. He stumbled along beside Arthur like a zombie, glassy eyes staring unfocused ahead.

When they arrived back at Merlin's chambers there were two stuffed bags and a small folded up paper on the bed. Merlin swept it up as Arthur read over his shoulder.

"_Have fun on your date."_

Merlin gently placed the note on his bedside table, along with the satchels of food and clothes.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked carefully.

The other man climbed onto the bed and brought his knees up to his chest, hugging them tightly. "I didn't mean to hurt him," he whispered sadly. Arthur sighed softly and joined him on the bed.

"If he can't trust you, then maybe he isn't a real friend," he said.

Merlin huffed a mordant grunt as tears appeared in his eyes. "He has every reason not to trust me."

Arthur stared at him in confusion.

Merlin inhaled a shaky breath before continuing. "When we were sixteen he told me he loved me." Merlin paused, deep in his memories. Arthur's chest tightened unpleasantly. "I…I told him I loved him back. I really thought I did at the time. And then my mother died, and it…it put things into perspective." Merlin fell silent again. Arthur scooted forward and wrapped an arm around Merlin's shoulder. "I realized I needed to marry a woman; a woman to become Queen and have our child. I tried to explain to Will but he wouldn't listen. He thought I lied because I felt sorry for him. But I didn't. I really did love him…" He trailed off again and Arthur tightened his hold.

After a few moments of silence Arthur asked, "Do you still love him?"

Merlin shook his head and allowed the tears he had been fighting for so long to finally fall. He gripped Arthur's shirt and sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. All Arthur could do was hug the slighter prince and allow him to release his emotions.

_Merlin and Will? _Arthur thought. Did they really…? He assumed they were just friends, but were they more? If they had been, then they weren't now, according to Merlin. Maybe this was the reason Will seemed so protective of his prince. Or he was jealous and wanted Merlin all to himself. Arthur concluded it was a little bit of both.

But why? Merlin said he broke Will's heart, so why was the servant so protective? Arthur wondered if he still loved Merlin, despite what had been said.

A queen…Bile rose in his throat at the thought that Merlin would never return his feelings. He knew where his priorities lay, and they weren't with Arthur. He didn't even know if Merlin felt the same for him as he did for Merlin. He had confessed his feelings, but Merlin never expanded on the matter.

Arthur sighed, disrupting the silence of the night. It was then he realized Merlin was no longer sobbing. He bent his head to look at the other man. His eyes were closed and his breathing was deep and steady. Arthur carefully disentangled himself from Merlin's long limbs and laid him softly down on the bed. Realizing he couldn't get a blanket without waking Merlin, he shed his jacket and placed it over the slumbering form. Now where was _he_ supposed to sleep?

He studied the hard stone floor critically, then the inviting bed. Merlin wouldn't mind if Arthur slept in the same bed, right? Gradually, Arthur lowered himself onto the mattress beside the sleeping prince. He found himself gazing at Merlin's cream-colored face. His long eyelashes cast shadows across the flawless skin in such a way Arthur thought he was gazing upon an angel. His heart felt like warm butter sliding down hot toast and Merlin's plump pink lips were just _begging _to be kissed and—

_No, _Arthur thought abruptly. _I can't. He would never forgive me._

So he contented himself with lying beside the other prince, staring unseeing at the ceiling. It wasn't until much, much later that he allowed Hypnos to embrace him.

**Well? Did you find it? Huh huh huh? If you did, tell me! If not, then review and ask me what quote it was ;)**

**Have a nice day! Or…night…depending on where you live!**


	6. The Chapter with an Octopus

**Bonjour!**

**I've rewritten this a thousand times, but im going to post it anyway. I'll probably rewrite it again though lol.**

**I just wanted to post something before I start school tomorrow (summer break is over D: ) so I can come home to some good reviews :)**

**Enjoy!**

Arthur had a rather strange dream that night.

It involved stealing a ruby stone from the inside of a cave, then fleeing the murderous pack of demonic unicorns that guarded aforementioned cave. He sprinted faster than the wind through forests and valleys, intent on only one thing: to get this ruby to Merlin. Suddenly he was running alongside a canyon. A wide river snaked through the canyon and, without even thinking, Arthur leapt with all his might. Surprise, surprise, he didn't make it to the other side. He dropped like a stone into the river below, not at all affected by the impact. He burst from the water and grabbed hold of a protruding rock as he swept by. The unicorns stood at the edge of the canyon, too afraid to follow the prince. Just as Arthur breathed a sigh of relief he felt something rope-like encircle his waist and tug on him. But he refused to let go of the rock. He looked down and saw a dark blue tentacle wrapped tightly around his torso. Another came up from the water and wrapped itself around his legs, also tugging. Two more appeared after that, one around his chest and one around his ankles. He couldn't fight the four tentacles and a cry erupted from his mouth as he was dragged under.

Arthur's eyes snapped open. A cold sweat lay upon his brow and his limbs trembled slightly. Then he felt the tentacles still wrapped around his body. He lashed out and tried to pry the one on his chest away with his fingers. A small cry sounded in his ear and he suddenly remembered where he was. It wasn't a tentacle. Merlin was hugging his torso tightly, his face buried in Arthur's shoulder. The 'tentacles' around his legs were Merlin's legs wound through his.

Arthur relaxed. Well, relaxed as much as he could with a human octopus squeezing the life out of him. He sighed and turned his head to look out the glass doors. A few stars still twinkled here and there, but the mountains were highlighted with a tinge of pink from the rising sun. Deciding it was close enough to dawn, he gently shook Merlin's shoulder to wake him. Merlin mewled and snuggled closer to Arthur. The blonde prince rolled his eyes and shook the shoulder harder. Merlin yawned and rubbed his eyes sleepily. He blinked up at Arthur and smiled tiredly. Arthur never could have imagined how cute Merlin looked when he first woke up. Not that Arthur would ever imagine waking up in the same bed with him. Nope. Never.

His blood flew south and he suddenly realized Merlin was _turning him on._ He had to get Merlin away from him _now. _So he looked pointedly at the arms encircling his waist. Merlin's eyes drifted downwards and he blinked once, twice, three times before he realized just exactly where his arms were. Faster than a rabbit he propelled himself backward and all but sprinted to the far side of the room. His wide eyes and ruffed up hair vaguely resembled a baby owl.

Arthur laughed. "Merlin, it's alright!"

Merlin remained frozen to the spot, staring at Arthur like he expected the blonde prince to eat him in one big bite. A blush highlighted his neck and cheeks. Arthur stood and approached the frightened man.

"I-uh-forgive me-I-" Merlin stuttered. Arthur smiled and took his hand. Merlin's head snapped up and he began stuttering again.

Arthur hushed him. "Merlin, it's really quite alright."

Finally the raven-haired man calmed down and smiled back. It soon melted into a frown as he looked behind Arthur. "It's dawn," he whispered.

O.o.O

Arthur watched from a distance as Merlin said goodbye to his father. He kept bowing his head sadly and Balinor would have to ruffle his hair to get him to look up again. To Arthur's surprise, Will showed up to say goodbye. He and Merlin exchanged a few words, and even shared a small laugh. They hugged each other tightly and it took some words from Balinor to get them to separate. Merlin made his way—head bowed again—to the forest's edge where Arthur stood with their horses. The stable workers had done a tremendous job keeping Vires in good health, and he was eager to be moving again. Merlin's horse, he learned, was named Midnight. The name matched well; he had a shiny coat blacker than any shadow.

Arthur reached for Merlin's hand and helped him mount Midnight. As he mounted his own horse Merlin waved goodbye to his father and best friend.

As they turned their backs on the gleaming white castle, Arthur asked, "So where do we go, anyway?"

Merlin sat deep in thought for quite some time, subconsciously steering Midnight around stumps and roots that protruded from the path. Just as the silence from his companion became too long for Arthur's liking, Merlin erupted, "I got it! We can hide with my mentor."

Arthur turned to stare at the warlock questioningly. "And just who is that?"

Merlin grinned mysteriously at him and steered Midnight harshly to the right, off of the path and straight into the wood. Arthur followed—reluctantly, because he knew Vires had a slight case of claustrophobia and would rather be out in the open to run free—after Merlin, who seemed to know exactly where he was going.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Arthur asked, just to make sure. Merlin swiveled in his saddle and beamed at him, nodding ecstatically.

O.o.O

"Well _why_ didn't you bring a map, _Mer_lin?"

"I don't need one, _Ar_thur!"

"Well obviously you do!" Arthur retorted heatedly, sliding a hand through his hair while Merlin nibbled his thumbnail.

Merlin stood from his perch on a stump to affront Arthur eye-to-eye. "I've grown up here and I know the whole kingdom like the back of my hand."

"Evidently not," Arthur muttered.

Merlin scowled and crossed his arms. "It's not my fault," he mumbled. "He's making it difficult."

Arthur stared at Merlin like he had just admitted to prophesying the universe with griffins.

Merlin caught this look and his scowl morphed into a glare. "I have a telepathic link with him," he explained, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Ah, _I see_!" Arthur said sarcastically. Merlin nodded exasperatedly.

Late afternoon sunlight filtered through the canopy above them, illuminating the greenery. The trees were packed so tight it looked as though the branches were holding hands. The aroma of damp soil and fresh rain drifted lazily into Arthur's nostrils and he smiled. He loved this. It reminded him of hunting with his knights, and returning to his father with a large stag or, occasionally, a bear. The look of pride on his father's face was all he had ever endeavored to see. A few baby rabbits scurried by while birds sang overhead. It was such a perfect sight that Arthur thought he imagined the low growl that sounded from the foliage near Merlin. Reality became apparent, however, when a wild boar burst forth from the shrubbery and charged at Merlin. The warlock didn't react fast enough, and Arthur jostled him out of the way just in time.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted, his sword already drawn. Merlin scrambled to his feet and raced behind Arthur. The boar shook its head and pawed the ground, staring the princes down with a murderous glint in its beady black eyes. Without a second's thought it charged again, head low, and prepared to strike. Arthur shoved Merlin unceremoniously into a large tree trunk and slashed at the boar with his sword. The boar's head tumbled into a bank of bushes, but the headless body skidded forward. Arthur dodged to the side and gripped Merlin's shoulders, twisting his gaze away from the decapitated creature.

A thump alerted Arthur that the boar had finally collapsed, but he still refused to allow Merlin to look. A headless animal was something he knew for certain Merlin would not be able to handle. So, trying not to retch as he dragged the bloody body, he quickly deposited of the dead boar into some nearby bushes. He decided there was no need to skin it for meat, seeing as Will had packed them plenty.

"You saved my life," Merlin whispered, dumbfounded.

"Come on," Arthur said, grasping Merlin's pale hand and leading him to the horses. It took a while to calm the animals, but once they were ready to ride again they set off to wherever Merlin thought his mentor lived. Arthur could only hope he was right.

They rode for a few more hours, until the darkness of night restrained them from continuing on.

"Should we camp for the night?" Merlin questioned, halting his horse. Arthur pulled up next to him. The friendly trees provided shaded coverage from the rest of the forest. Arthur nodded and dismounted, unhooking his sleeping bag and unfurling it onto the hard-packed ground. Luckily for him he was used to such things, as he often went on hunting trips.

Merlin followed his lead as Arthur collected dry firewood. Words weren't exchanged throughout the process until Merlin whispered a spell to ignite the wood, and soon flames licked the air, an orange light cast around them, separating them from the world of the forest at night. They didn't sleep just yet though, instead choosing to sit by the blazing fire and munch on pieces of bread.

Arthur groaned in frustration. "_Mer_lin! You've got the face of a wounded bear; don't tell me you're upset about the boar."

Merlin shook his head and swallowed audibly. Arthur studied him carefully, only now noticing the haunted look in his deep blue eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked gently.

Merlin raised a thumb to his mouth—a habit Arthur was now beginning to realize he performed when he was nervous or upset—and blinked rapidly to keep his tears in check.

"I'm scared, Arthur," he whispered. The blonde prince recalled Merlin saying the same thing when they were in his chambers back at the castle, but he never explained why. Arthur shifted so their knees just barely brushed each other and remained quiet, silently encouraging Merlin on.

"I don't want my father to die, like my mum did…" Tears ran down his cheeks and dripped off his chin. Suddenly it struck Arthur that he had only counted two thrones—not three like there should have been—in the throne room.

"What happened?" Arthur gently prodded. The swishing wind and creaking branches quieted. Nocturnal forest animals ceased calling to each other. The forest held its breath, intent on hearing Merlin's tale.

Merlin inhaled a shaky breath and continued slowly, his voice trembling, "She was ambushed on her way back from a visit with another Queen. A group of bandits kidnapped her and held her for ransom." His voice broke and Arthur could see the tremendous effort it took for him to speak about the subject. "My father sent men immediately with the money..." He stopped here.

"Did they return her?" Arthur wondered softly. More tears escape Merlin's eyes as he croaked, "Oh yeah. They returned her. They dumped her dead body at the front gates. I was only ten." Merlin choked on a gut-wrenching sob. "I loved her so, so much," he continued, seemingly oblivious to the snot dripping from his nose or the tears cascading down his face. Arthur used his own sleeve to wipe Merlin's nose—not caring that it went against everything about etiquette he had been taught—and embraced him tightly. Merlin attempted to move away, mumbling, "I'm going to stain your shirt," but Arthur only clung on more firmly.

"My mum died giving birth to me," he said, and Merlin's struggling ceased. "Father never speaks of her—probably too painful—but I have this…faint memory. Like I can feel her watching over me."

Arthur felt Merlin nod. "It's the same with me."

They remained silent for quite some time after that, wrapped in each other's arms. Arthur gazed into the fire as it leisurely dwindled into a pile of ash, thinking about his mother, and his father. What would Uther say if he could see his son now? Would he execute him for treason? Arthur wouldn't put it past him. Arthur began to have doubts about his father. Did he really care for him? It seemed all the king cared about was exterminating even the most miniscule hint of sorcery, no matter who died in the process.

Merlin sniffled and pulled away from Arthur, wiping at his nose with the back of his hand in a very low class manner. He smiled thankfully and snuggled into his sleeping bag, blue eyes watching Arthur carefully. The blonde also went into his sleeping bag.

"What is it?" Arthur asked bluntly.

"Nothing."

Arthur rolled his eyes playfully. "You're a horrible liar, Merlin."

The warlock's face softened but his mouth remained shut.

Arthur also slipped into his sleeping bag and the two princes stared at each other. "You're beginning to scare me, Merlin," Arthur commented frankly.

Merlin grunted and turned away. It wasn't long until Arthur too fell asleep.

**I swear, Arthur is on crack. **


End file.
